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LIVER CIRRHOSIS

Men's Health, Skin Conditions, Women's Health / By

LIVER CIRRHOSIS

Liver cirrhosis is a degenerative disease that occurs when soft healthy tissues in the liver are damaged and replaced by scar tissues, usually as a result of long-term exposure to toxins such as alcohol or viral infections.

  • The liver is the largest solid organ in the body and has many essential body functions including:
  • The production of proteins important for blood clotting, transporting oxygen and helping the immune system.
  • Helping the body store sugar in the form of glycogen
  • Breaking down saturated fat and producing cholesterol
  • Getting rid of harmful substances in the bloodstream, including drugs and alcohol
  • Storing excess nutrients and returning some to the bloodstream
  • Normally, the liver is able to repair itself or regenerate damaged cells.
  • In the process of repairing itself when damaged or injured by either excessive alcohol consumption, diseases or other causes, scar tissue forms.
  • With time, more and more scar tissues form blocking the flow of blood through the liver and slowing down the liver’s ability to function properly.
  • If cirrhosis is left untreated, it can lead to liver failure and even death.
  • Cirrhosis is now the 12th leading cause of death in the United States, affecting more men than women.
  • Liver cirrhosis can lead to severe complications such as swelling in the legs and abdomen, bleeding, enlargement of the spleen, a buildup of toxins in the brain, liver cancer, kidney failure.

CAUSES

Liver cirrhosis has many causes. Sometimes more than one cause may be present in one person.

Some of the causes may include:

  • Chronic hepatitis (B, C)
  • Chronic alcohol abuse
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
  • Autoimmune hepatitis (a liver disease caused by the body’s immune system)
  • Destruction of the bile duct (primary biliary cirrhosis)
  • Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency
  • Iron buildup in the body
  • Genetic digestive disorder
  • Hereditary hemochromatosis
  • Glycogen storage diseases (inherited disorders of sugar metabolism)
  • Poorly formed bile duct (biliary atresia)
  • Hardening and scarring of the bile duct (primary sclerosing cholangitis)
  • Infection, such as syphilis
  • Medications such as methotrexate
  • Wilson’s disease

SYMPTOMS

  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Bruises
  • Itchy skin
  • Fluid accumulation in the abdomen
  • Weight loss or sudden weight gain
  • Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or the white of the eyes)
  • Fever
  • Blood in the stool
  • Small spider-shaped arteries underneath the skin
  • Abdominal bloating
  • Reddening of the palms

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

To make a diagnosis, the doctor will take a complete medical history and perform a physical examination.

The medical history may reveal long-term alcohol abuse, family history of autoimmune diseases, exposure to hepatitis C, or other risk factors.

A physical examination

Blood tests to check for signs of liver malfunction as well as for certain enzymes that might indicate liver disease.

Imaging tests such as CT scan, ultrasound, MRI scan

A biopsy of the liver to confirm diagnosis.

TREATMENT

At the early stage, treatment of the underlying cause may help to minimize damage to the liver.

Treatment options may include:

  • Alcohol cessation for people with cirrhosis caused by excessive alcohol use.
  • Weight loss and blood sugar control
  • Medications to control hepatitis
  • A low-salt diet and medication to prevent fluid buildup. This may help control swelling.
  • Lactulose and a low protein diet
  • Intravenous antibiotics
  • In advanced cases where the liver has stopped functioning, a liver transplant may be the only available option.